Guangzhou: Barcelona have loaned midfielder Paulinho, a starter in the Brazil side knocked out by Belgium in the 2018 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals in Russia, to former club Guangzhou Evergrande, the Chinese Super League champions have announced.

"Guangzhou Evergrande confirm Paulinho has returned to the club after one season at Barcelona," the club tweeted.

Paulinho, who is 29, first joined Guangzhou from Tottenham Hotspur in 2015, playing 84 matches and scoring 22 goals before leaving for Barcelona in 2017.

He scored nine goals in 34 La Liga appearances for the Catalan giants last season and did not feature in a losing side.?

At the Catalan club, Paulinho added the La Liga and Copa del Rey titles to the honours he won at Guangzhou which include the 2015 AFC Champions League title and two Chinese Super League championships in 2015 and 2016.